It is well known in the field of defense to use countermeasure systems for protecting a target from an incoming projectile. In particular, when the incoming projectile is a guided missile, it is known to use countermeasure systems which are configured for disrupting the navigational, guiding or telemetry facility of either the missile or the sight guiding the same.
There are also known countermeasure systems comprising a variety of sensing elements configured for discovering an approaching missile, and an illumination system (NIR, UV, etc.) configured for neutralizing the missile by illuminating it with an electromagnetic radiation in a suitable range of wavelengths.
There are further known countermeasure systems in which the illumination system is mounted onto a platform which is capable of rotation and/or linear displacement and is configured for directing the system's illumination beam towards the threat, based on information from the sensing elements.
There are many hundreds of thousands of antitank guided missiles (ATGMs) worldwide. A significant part of ATGMs are in the hands of terrorists, presenting danger to civilians and law enforcement. ATGMs are relatively simple to use, they have high hitting probability and high destruction power. ATGMs were used and can be used against tanks, armored personnel carriers (APC), busses, trains, other vehicles, low flying aircrafts, troops, posts, buildings, bridges, fuel stations, oil installations, airports, and many other strategic objects and platforms. Protection against ATGMs requires very complicated and expensive equipment, because there are several types (generations) of different ATGMs operating according different guiding concepts.
There are attempts to protect objects using various hard kill layers including, a reactive armor (a layer that explodes under impact of a missile and destroys it), using exploding projectiles that intercept and destroy incoming missiles, and using omnidirectional exploding cartridges, that destroy everything around the protected object, including the incoming missile.
As a result of limited budgets and to avoid collateral damage, many objects remain unprotected, and there are casualties each year from terrorists attacks by ATGMs. A low cost solution for protection against ATGMs without any collateral damage is required.
There are several generations of ATGMs. Most of the ATGMs are equipped with a control unit. The control unit includes an optical sight and means to transfer control signals to the missile. The optical sight includes at least one of the following channels: a visual channel (operating in the visible part of spectrum), an infrared channel (operating in the near infrared part of spectrum) and a thermal channel (operating in the far infrared part of spectrum).
First generation of ATGMs is based on guidance by manual commands from an operator. The operator sees the target and the missile, and guides the missile to the target by issuing direction corrective commands (using a joystick). The commands are transferred to the missile by a wire that connects the missile and the control unit. The missile will deviate from the correct path, and it will be deflected, if operator will not issue corrective commands during period of 1 second.
Second generation of ATGMs is based on automatic guidance of the missile. The missile indicates its location via emission of IR radiation backward towards the sight/control unit. The control unit detects the IR radiation and calculates deviation of the missile from the optical axis of the sight. The control unit issues a corrective signal, which is delivered to the missile. The optical sight shall be pointed on the target. Interruption of this process will result in missile deflection.
Second plus generation of ATGMs is also based on automatic guidance of the missile. The guidance method is so called laser beam riding. The sight/control unit emits a laser beam parallel to optical axis of the sight. The laser beam is directed to the target, when sight is pointed on the target. Laser beam sensor of the missile receive laser radiation from the sight/control unit, that is the sensor is directed backward the missile. The missile detects deviation of its position from the laser beam, and then it makes corrections to stay in the center of laser beam. It shall be noted that this generation of ATGMs can be fired from relatively long distances of more than 5 km, and that it takes a long time for the missile to fly to the target. The missile will deviate from the path to target, and it will be deflected, if operator will not keep sight on the target, or if the missile will not be able to detect the laser beam for some time for any reason including obscuration of the missile sensor, or if the missile sensor will be illuminated by a countermeasure laser jamming radiation.
Third generation of ATGMs is equipped with optical sensors on a basis of “fire and forget”. The sensors can operate in visible, IR, NIR or FIR part of the spectrum. The sensors “see” the target. Operator shall bring the field of view of sensor on the target and lock the target to the missile. The missile will fly to the target automatically using signals from the optical sensors. Interruption of normal operation of the optical sensor will result in missile deflection.